Chelsea Women face an Arsenal side producing plenty of attacking volume but very little reward when the London rivals meet at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Arsenal have taken 60 shots across their opening three Women’s Super League matches but scored only twice, according to The Times.
It is a remarkable return for a squad possessing so much attacking quality.
Renée Slegers’ side started the campaign by beating Brighton 1-0 before being held 0-0 by Crystal Palace and drawing 1-1 with Manchester United.
That gives Chelsea a clear problem to target.
Arsenal Women struggling to turn dominance into goals
Arsenal have not necessarily struggled to create shooting opportunities.
The issue has been what happens once they reach dangerous areas.
The Guardian highlighted Arsenal’s difficulties against compact defensive structures, with Slegers demanding greater quality in her side’s decision-making and execution.
That should interest Sonia Bompastor.
Chelsea do not need to dominate every phase on Sunday. Remaining organised when Arsenal have possession and forcing the visitors into poorer shooting positions could prove just as important.
Arsenal’s failure to score against Crystal Palace showed that pressure and possession alone do not guarantee a breakthrough.
Manchester United then frustrated them for almost the entire game before Smilla Holmberg produced a late equaliser.
Chelsea’s official match preview confirms Arsenal arrive at Stamford Bridge two points behind the Blues in the early WSL table.
Chelsea have their own warning to remember
Bompastor cannot simply ask Chelsea to sit deep and wait for Arsenal to waste chances.
The Blues have experienced periods of similar frustration themselves.
Chelsea controlled large spells of their recent victory over Birmingham City but had opportunities to make the result comfortable much earlier.
Lexi Potter opened the scoring before Melvine Malard eventually secured the 2-0 victory in the second half.
Chelsea have, however, shown considerably more cutting edge in the league recently, including five goals against Manchester United.
That contrast could matter on Sunday.
Chelsea can increase Arsenal frustration
Arsenal remain capable of producing moments of individual quality and Chelsea will know their finishing numbers cannot be expected to remain this low forever.
But the opening weeks of the season have exposed an opportunity.
If Chelsea protect central areas, remain patient without the ball and force Arsenal into difficult attempts, pressure on the visitors should increase with every missed chance.
Bompastor’s side can then attack the spaces Arsenal leave when committing players forward.
In a fixture regularly decided by fine margins, Arsenal’s early inability to turn their attacking volume into goals could become one of Chelsea’s most important advantages.
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